Tag: mental illness

REVIEW: Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall

REVIEW: Kind of Sort of Fine by Spencer Hall

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

After a monumental moment at school at the end of her junior year, Hayley is pushed into “pulling back at school.” This includes dropping tennis and putting a low key elective into her senior year schedule – TV production. At first it feels like a punishment – a limitation. But after enough comments about her “break down,” Hayley decides she is going to use her determination and ambition to make the best of this hand she has been dealt.

Lewis is the senior producer in the school TV studio this year. He’s partnered with Hayley and can’t help being concerned about the quality of her work considering what happened last year.

As Hayley and Lewis work together and get to know one another as more than “the girl who had the breakdown” and “the fat, funny kid in TV production,” they realize there’s more to each of them – and more to their peers – than people see at first glance. And they decide to turn that idea into a set of mini-documentaries to share with their school.

Review

I enjoyed this exploration of senior year for these two characters. Hayley’s journey to reclaim her life and identity after her “breakdown” does a great job of showing progress without quick, trite resolutions. And I enjoyed Lewis and the other teens in the story.

I would have liked a stronger problem-resolution thread, but that’s a matter of personal preference. I like my stories to have more drive to them than this did. This is more focused on this period of time – senior year – for these characters, and on the journey rather than the destination. The wrap up to the story is good. I enjoyed this one. (Language, sexual references)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

REVIEW: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Abrams Kids in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Evie and Caleb have been best friends since childhood. And Caleb has been in love with her for most of that time. But Evie has never responded to his hints – or his “almost kisses.” She’s not really been interested in any romantic relationship at all. Teaming up with Caleb, Evie has the chance to compete once again for a huge math/science award. Last year, a panic attack before she even got on the plane derailed her plans. But this year, with Caleb at her side, she has a chance to fully compete.

After 8 months with a therapist of her choosing, Evie is managing her anxiety and feeling more confident in general. And then Leo transfers in. He’s brilliant – someone who can compete in a lot of ways at Evie’s level. And he gives her fluttery feelings she’s never experienced before. Caleb has to reign in his jealousy when Leo and Evie start dating.

When Caleb has a chance to interact anonymously with Evie in the online forum for the award finalists, he jumps at it, hoping it will help Evie see him as a romantic option once she knows it is him.  Evie is left wondering how she went from complete disinterest in romance to juggling feelings for Leo and a new guy online. And wondering how this new layer to her life will work with everything else she has been working through so very carefully.

Review

Evie and Caleb were captivating from the first delightful chapter. I loved their friendship and what they meant to each other. I loved reading about Evie’s journey with anxiety and therapy, and the ways Caleb was part of that journey. Evie and Caleb were so fun, both as individuals and in their bantering friendship.

The arrival of Leo coincides with Evie maturing to a place where she is noticing romantic feelings and she’s ready to explore that part of growing up. Leo was good for her even if he was an obstacle for Caleb.

The math of the book was way over my head, but never a distraction or drag on the story. I loved all the ways the characters in this pushed back on assumptions about women in general and Evie in particular when it comes to math and science. While Evie’s mother is the most infuriating part of this book, the misogynistic pieces were a close second. But Evie and her friends stand up to it brilliantly.

This is a delightful character-driven book. I loved having Evie and Caleb tell their own stories. And the romance is sweet and complicated, but never over-the-top. And the book is funny! The side characters might have been developed a little more (Bex’s story was fascinating, but I wanted her to feel more fleshed out), but the spotlight here is really for Evie and Caleb. And they deserve it. Don’t miss this one! (Some language, TW: Anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Break in Case of Emergency by Brian Francis

REVIEW: Break in Case of Emergency by Brian Francis

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Toby was a kid, growing up with her mom, she was fascinated hearing her mom talk about her absent father. It didn’t happen often. She showed Toby one picture of them together, and she talked about his singing. She said he was “magic.”

Toby’s mom cycled through dark moments and neutral ones. The voices would become incessant and drive her to the quiet of her locked bedroom. When Toby was 10, she came home from school and found her mother dead by suicide.

Now, at 15, Toby lives with her grandparents. Her grandparents rarely speak about Toby’s mother. And her father is a non-factor in her life. Toby fights her own darkness. She has to force herself out of bed in the morning. She’s convinced everyone will be better off when she is gone. She’s almost ready for her plan.

Then, out of the blue, her father calls. He’s going to be in the area. He wants to meet Toby.

Her grandparents don’t want him to come. Toby’s not sure she wants him to visit either. Where has he been all this time? He didn’t even come for her mom’s funeral. And when she hears more about him – that he’s gay and a drag performer – she’s even more confused than ever. Her plan is postponed for the moment – she’ll wait to check out this “father” who wants to meet her. But the darkness still stalks her.

Review

This is heartbreaking. The early chapters were dark and sad. Toby’s depression and her struggles are so well described it was almost hard to read.

Really, the whole story has a dark edge to it, but the heart develops alongside the darker pieces, and I was captivated by the story. There’s so much pain here. Toby’s loss is tragic, and she’s never been able to talk to anyone about it. Her father never felt at home in the community. His family turned him away. Toby’s grandparents carry their own grief. The pain of it all was raw and conveyed so well.

The mental illness pieces of this are well-written. I do wish there was more therapeutic follow up for Toby. Her needs were not going to just magically clear up. But I did enjoy the ways Toby starts to grow from her experiences – the new ways she sees her mom, her dad, her friends, and her experiences.

This needs an intense trigger warning for suicide and depression. I would caution readers to be in a good, safe, and healthy emotional place before reading this one. This left me in tears multiple times. Toby’s emotional state and her suicidal plans are well described and sensitively handled. But this could be triggering for some readers. (Language, sex, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

REVIEW: Where You’ll Find Me by Natasha Friend

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Anna can’t believe she’s living at her dad’s house. He had gotten engaged to Marnie before her parents’ divorce was even final. And their baby appeared soon after their wedding. She’d done a careful job of avoiding sleeping there. Daytime visits only. Anything else felt disloyal to her mother. But that was before.

Before her mother tried to kill herself and ended up in the hospital.

And when it rains, it pours. Anna has also lost her best friend. She’s stuck at school hanging out with the weird kids. It seems like everyone – other parents, teachers at school – is talking about Anna’s mom. And Marnie’s trying too hard with Anna, making her feel suffocated.

It all leaves Anna feeling lost and adrift. But help will arrive from places she least expects.

Review

I pulled this from a middle grade pile on my bookshelf, but when I looked the book up, the publishing information says this is for teens. I was confused. Anna is only 13 in this story – young for a teen book. And while her processing of all the things feels appropriate for 13, it also feels young for a teen/YA book. It might be a good fit for the new “Older Middle Grade” category for readers 10 to 14. But there’s some mature content – some swearing, Anna hears her dad and step-mom having sex, etc. – things you don’t generally find in middle grade books. All of this made it hard for me to get a good grasp on this one. Who exactly is this book for?

That aside, I loved the story. My heart broke for Anna. The near suicide is a huge stressor, but there’s so much MORE going on:

  • The unspoken things between Anna and her dad and the ways she has felt abandoned by him, left to care for her mom on her own.
  • Anna’s fears of finding her mother dead.
  • Anna’s memories of her mom’s manic episodes as she learns about Bipolar 2.
  • Anna’s shame about her mom’s illness.
  • The loss of her best friend.

All of these things are conveyed SO well. I was rooting for Anna through the whole book – that she would make new and better friends, that she would see her step-mother as an ally, and that she would share the burden of her mom’s illness with someone. There’s a great happy-for-now wrap up to this that was so satisfying.

Find the right audience and this will be a hit with readers. I loved it! (Language, sexual references, references to Wicca, CW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Finding Perfect by Elly Swartz

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

A sensitive book about  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Molly has become pretty skilled at looking like she has it all together. She has good friends. She’s known at school for her poetry. She’s convinced that her mom will move back from Toronto at the end of the year, just like she promised.

But under the perfect exterior she tries to show the world, Molly is starting to lose control. She has to get up earlier and earlier in the morning so she can complete all of her rituals. If she makes even the smallest mistake, she has to start over. It’s impacting her at home and at school. And the compulsions seem to be getting worse.

Review

Oh, my heart broke for Molly…. The author did a great job of showing how Molly’s behavior moves and evolves from subtle routines to overwhelming compulsions. The reader gets to see Molly’s awareness of her quirks and also her feelings of helplessness. She is desperate to reach out to someone – anyone – for help, but the reader also sees the roadblocks that keep her trapped. The emotional core of this story is so well done and engenders so much empathy for Molly.

I’ve noticed more books lately for this middle grade audience (10 to 14ish) that deal with mental health issues. Books like The Seventh Wish (drug addiction), and Still a Work in Progress (eating disorders), and Finding Perfect, introduce readers to illnesses that can effect them or their peers or family members. The books are age-appropriate, while dealing with serious topics. Readers can develop empathy for the characters who are struggling – or watching family members struggle. Best of all, parents and teachers can engage with readers about these topics because the books have opened the door.

I loved Molly’s story and I hope you will enjoy it too!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥